Vermont: I Don't Like You, Winter

It's been a rough couple of weeks. Very rough.

The sub-zero, arctic temperatures.  The uncertain, weather-impacted flights back and forth to DC for work. And, the most exhausting flu bug I've had in years.

I woke a few mornings after sleeping 11 hours (one of the luxuries of being in DC without the kids) to only feel as if I wanted to crawl right back into bed.

And so when you meet a long-time Vermonter and they say, "boy, this winter has been rough," it makes you feel just a wee bit better.

Perhaps I'll make it through this winter here. And with any luck a few more in the future.

* Stefan doesn't seem phased at all!

Vermont: And Little Local Finds

On my bad days, I think about all that I miss in DC.  I won't go into that list here.

On my good days, I look out my window and see fresh falling snow.  I marvel at the tenacity and drive of Vermonters I meet every day.  I love my yoga instructor.  I cherish the time I get with my kids when they pop in and out of my home office on the weeks when I'm not working in DC or abroad.

And local products. Now, that is something that is very, very good.  Local cheeses.  Local vegetables. And, yes, even local wines.

I've been relishing some new finds lately in Middlebury, like a lovely little store called Clementine.

Maybe I'll share with you some of my recent goodies one day soon.

Vermont: And What a Holiday

It's Thursday. But it feels like Monday here. An exhausted, full weekend kind of Monday. The kind that makes you want to drink a lot of coffee, even though you know you shouldn't.  Or put your head down on your desk. Which you definitely shouldn't.

Outside my window, it's snowing like mad. And oh, so very, very cold.  So, the fire is going, my woolly socks are on and I'm in my ski pant layers.

The kids are back at school. The house is oddly, oh so oddly, quiet. That's a sound I haven't heard in almost 2 weeks.

Happy New Year!

Vermont: And a Winter Wonderland of Fun

Vermont is a special place at the holidays.

Simple but true.  From hot chocolate loaded with whipped cream and peppermint sticks in Middlebury...

To decorated reindeer in our renovated barn....

From breakfast with Santa and shy boy whispering in his ear....

To girls celebrating a certain someone's birthday with Morgan horses in Weybridge....

Thanks Vermont for a very special December...and Christmas isn't even here yet!

Vermont: And Making it Over the Hump

I made an amazing discover this week.  Somewhere between thinking about an upcoming trip to India for work and realizing how much I ate over Thanksgiving weekend, I thought of this as home. That doesn't feel strange anymore.  I slowly have established a routine. The kids have made friends and are continuing to do so.

It's now four months since we made the BIG move from Washington, DC. People still shake their heads with wonder when I tell them that we moved here....from there.  And comment, "wow, that's a big change."

But I can smile now without silently screaming in my head, "I know!!!"  I'm used to the reaction and comfortable with all of the reasons we chose to move.

And so, here's to month four of our big, Vermont, country adventure.  Let the good times roll.

Vermont: And a Happy Weekend

It sounds trite to say that it was a wonderful weekend but it truly was. In a very Vermont kind of special way.

From fresh fallen snow greeting us on Thanksgiving Day to a meal made almost entirely with fresh, local Vermont products.  Brussel sprouts, potatos and so much more.  I didn't even mind all that much that Brad's turkey weighed in at a whopping 17 pounds.

From handwritten menus by Abigail to having us all recite the things we were and are thankful for.  Her menus read: What are you thankful for?  Even Stefan got into the spirit of the day.

From sledding and skiing to big and little hills in our neighborhood.  What fun -- and it's only Thanksgiving.  Can't wait for more snow, and of course, so much more to love about Vermont!

Vermont: And the Story it Tells

I have a story to tell. But I have never been good about putting it down on paper.

Many years ago when I worked in Serbia with democracy activists, I dreamed of taking my notes and writing a memoir. It would talk of the brave, young activists whom I met. The lonely days I spent there as a young American political consultant trying to bring about change under an oppressive regime.   The agony of war, still fresh from the Balkans tragedy that unfolded, and playing out on the lives of the people I toiled to help.

That book never happened.  And so this blog was born along the way.

But our house in Vermont tells a story.  Of days spent in Belgrade. A visit to the market in Senegal under a hot African sun.  Many trips to Bangkok to collect fabrics and carvings and amazing containers for beetle nuts.  Trips to the labyrinth souk in Cairo for beads and alabaster bowls and brightly colored glass pitchers.

Step inside and see what I've been working on.